Those $1,000 dinner dates for the non-Cuban elites

On the 58th anniversary of the failed Bay of Pigs invasion this week, we saw Raúl Castro come out of retirement to give the country some bad news. In other words, things are going to get really bad again — fasten your seat belts for more shortages. As my mother calls it, the same "expletive deleted" that we've been hearing for way too long.

Why the bad news? The regime's explanation is "el bloqueo" — that U.S. embargo! Were you ready for Raúl Castro to blame it on the blockade?

Why really the bad news? Cuba is imploding from an economic system that survives as long as there someone willing to subsidize it. It's socialism at work and no more than that.

Not long after Raúl broke the bad news, we learned of a "first" in Havana. Check this out:

The regime, of course, sanctions those who have more than their regulatory rations. In stark contrast, for the first time, Havana joined the list of cities celebrating the elite White Dinner that costs a mere USD $1,000 per guest.

In Cuba there is a serious food shortage; so much so that the regime has forbidden officials from talking about it in order to avoid internal rancor.

Le Dîner en Blanc is an international event that started in Paris, as its French name suggests. Founder François Pasquier developed the concept as a "secret" picnic.

Aren't you happy to hear that U.S. $1,000 will get you an elite White Dinner in a Havana restaurant?

On the 58th anniversary of the failed Bay of Pigs invasion this week, we saw Raúl Castro come out of retirement to give the country some bad news. In other words, things are going to get really bad again — fasten your seat belts for more shortages. As my mother calls it, the same "expletive deleted" that we've been hearing for way too long.

Why the bad news? The regime's explanation is "el bloqueo" — that U.S. embargo! Were you ready for Raúl Castro to blame it on the blockade?

Why really the bad news? Cuba is imploding from an economic system that survives as long as there someone willing to subsidize it. It's socialism at work and no more than that.

Not long after Raúl broke the bad news, we learned of a "first" in Havana. Check this out:

The regime, of course, sanctions those who have more than their regulatory rations. In stark contrast, for the first time, Havana joined the list of cities celebrating the elite White Dinner that costs a mere USD $1,000 per guest.

In Cuba there is a serious food shortage; so much so that the regime has forbidden officials from talking about it in order to avoid internal rancor.

Le Dîner en Blanc is an international event that started in Paris, as its French name suggests. Founder François Pasquier developed the concept as a "secret" picnic.

Aren't you happy to hear that U.S. $1,000 will get you an elite White Dinner in a Havana restaurant?